Where It All Began: Our First Midsummer Festival

Our first Callington Methodist Church Midsummer Festival began with a simple idea, to bring people together. We wanted to create a day for Callington that was fun, welcoming and open to everyone, while also raising money for an incredible cause.

What followed was a wonderful mixture of music, food, entertainment and community spirit.

The festival wouldn't have happened without a team of people from Callington Methodist Church and the wider local community giving their time, ideas, skills and enthusiasm.

From setting things up and organising performers to running stalls, serving food and tackling all those last-minute jobs that inevitably appear, it was a genuine team effort.

And then, of course, the community turned up, which was the bit that made it all worthwhile.

Together we raised over £2000 for Cornwall Air Ambulance, helping to support a service that can make a life-saving difference to people across Cornwall.

Music, theatre and a little bit of circus

Live entertainment was at the heart of the day, and we were incredibly lucky to have some brilliant performers join us.

We welcomed Phantom Power, The Whistle Blowers and The Skiffle Project Orchestra, filling the festival with live music throughout the day.

Rosie's Rainbow Circus CIC brought some circus magic to Callington, with entertainment and the chance to have a go at circus skills ourselves.

We also had something a little different from TADA!, with a fantastic one-person monologue/play adding theatre to the day's programme.

There really was something different happening wherever you looked.

And, obviously, there was food...

Because it wouldn't be a proper community festival without plenty to eat.

There were homemade cakes, traditional ploughman's lunches and other treats, alongside fantastic Sri Lankan food from local business Lucky's Kitchen.

Add in a bouncy castle, local market stalls, circus activities and plenty of opportunities to sit, chat and enjoy the atmosphere, and the church grounds were transformed for the day.

We were also delighted to welcome Widow’s Sons Anno Lucis Chapter, whose motorbikes added something rather spectacular to the festival.

Another special guest was REV7 Community Hair Salon, a Methodist-supported community project led by Rev Darren Middleton. REV7 isn't simply about haircuts; the project uses professional hairdressing as a way of building confidence, creating connections and supporting people who may otherwise struggle to access those services.

It fitted perfectly with what we hoped our festival could be about: community, kindness and people looking out for one another.

Then we walked across fire

Because apparently putting on an entire festival wasn't quite enough.

For our grand finale, a group of us had agreed to be sponsored to walk barefoot across burning hot coals in aid of Cornwall Air Ambulance.

As the festival drew to a close, everyone gathered to watch.

There were nerves. There was fire. There were probably a few people questioning their life choices.

But we did it.

It was a suitably ridiculous, exciting and memorable ending to a day that had been created to bring people together while raising money for a brilliant cause.

That was only the beginning...

Our first Midsummer Festival showed us what could happen when the church and community worked together.

So naturally, we've decided to make the next one even bigger.

More music.

More stalls.

More workshops.

More entertainment.

More things to discover.

And, most importantly, another chance for people from across Callington and beyond to spend a day together.

The first Midsummer Festival started as an idea.

Now we're seeing just how far that idea can grow.

See you at the next one.